(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists at Cambridge University have examined an ancient Egyptian masterpiece that is over 3,000 years old.
The picture, which adorned the wall of the palace, which belonged to the daughter of Akhenatoth and Nefertiti, depicts birds that lived in the Egyptian swamps in a completely realistic way.
Scientists have identified them.
This ancient Egyptian masterpiece was discovered in Amarna, the capital of Pharaoh Akhenaten (1347-1332 BC) in 1924. The palace belonged to Meritaten, the daughter of the pharaoh and his wife Nefertiti.
In one of the rooms, the so-called Green Room, a rare depiction of birds in a realistic papyrus swamp was discovered.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have attempted to identify the birds depicted in the painting.
As the authors of the work say: “The paintings represent some of the most skillfully executed and most naturalistic images of birds known from the time of dynastic Egypt.”
Despite the fact that the picture was well preserved until the 20th century, after the discovery, the image was damaged.
This happened during an attempt to preserve the painting in 1926. Then the painting was accidentally damaged and discolored.
Rest room of Nefertiti’s daughter
To identify the birds, the scientists consulted modern ornithological data and a high-quality copy of an ancient Egyptian image taken in 1924 by Nina de Garis Davies.
The researchers were able to identify several species, including shrikes and wagtails (kingfishers and pigeons were identified earlier). Scientists noticed that ancient artists marked migratory birds with special triangles.
Scientists noted that the painting depicts doves, but they do not live in papyrus swamps, but rather in mountain deserts. But perhaps, as in modern cities, the pigeons were attracted by human activities.
The researchers speculate that images of the natural world made the Green Room a place to relax: “No one knows for sure, but it’s possible that the Green Room was a place of rest and relaxation.
For the soothing atmosphere of the room, nature paintings were just as important then as they are today.”
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